Clear objectives and consistent implementation

Firstly, companies must clearly define and prioritise their objectives for LinkedIn. Reaching out to (potential) employees, positioning oneself as a subject matter expert, or using LinkedIn as part of a sales strategy are not fundamentally contradictory, but hardly any single post can contribute to all possible objectives simultaneously. It is therefore essential to prioritise objectives and align the profile and editorial planning with the desired focus.

If, for example, the employer brand and employer branding are the main focus, the corporate culture and employer USPs should be presented in the ‘About’ section and visualised via the cover photo. Insights into everyday working life then play a greater role in content planning than the development of new services, technical tips or industry news. A further major challenge for the social media team in the next step is to package the respective core messages into engaging storytelling.

A successful mix of corporate and personal posts

Old but gold: people prefer to follow people rather than organisations. For millennials in particular, the social media activities of CEOs, for example, play a role in their choice of employer. Employees give companies a face, conveying authenticity and approachability. Companies would therefore do well to link their corporate account closely with their employees’ profiles, for instance by sharing their posts, using shared hashtags or linking to them in their own posts. Social media training for staff or corporate influencer programmes help to unlock the full potential. Joint posts with customers, partners or other profiles also help to reach new target groups and maintain a presence in their feeds.

Linking LinkedIn with other communication channels

Whether used primarily for communication purposes or in the HR sector, LinkedIn should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, communications managers should create synergies between channels and initiatives. Links to other online platforms, social media buttons on the homepage and in email signatures, as well as a reference to the LinkedIn profile on business cards, roll-ups or posters, ensure that the social media presence is always visible whilst simultaneously driving traffic to the company website. In this way, various communication measures interlock in a targeted manner, and stakeholders can choose between different touchpoints depending on their preferred media usage habits.